Improved car-coupling



' H. SOGGS.

Car Coupling.

" Patented March 30, 1869.

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HENRY S OGGS, O F COLUMBUS, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 88,342, dated .Mwrch30, 1869.

IMPROVED CAR-COUPLING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and'making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY SOGGS, of Columbus, in

' the county of Warren, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Au tomatio Oar-Gonplin gs and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My improvement relates to the common link-coupling for railroad-oars; and

The invention consists of two spring-jaws, so arranged within the draw-head that they will grasp a neck formed at the lower end of the coupling-pin, as the latter is raised in nncoupling, and retain the pin in that elevated position till it is released by the end of the link distending the jaws as the cars come together, when it descends by its gravity, aided or unaided by a spring, thus automatically re-engaging the coupling. a

1n the drawings-- Figure I is a side, or longitudinal elevation of my improved coupling.

Figure II is a plan, with the upper plate of the drawbead removed. 1

Figure III is a cross-section of the draw-head in line a: z.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in all of the figures.

A is the draw-l1ead, b, the link, and c, the couplingpin, all of common construction, except that the lower end of the pin is formed with a neck, a, and thenpper side of the top plate of the draw-head, provided with a boss, (I, for maintaining the pin in'a vertical position when it is elevated, so that it may readily descend when released, as will be presently explained.

E is an elliptic spring, arranged transversely Within the draw-head, and riveted to the lower bar thereof.

To the disconnected ends of this spring are riveted, or otherwise attached, two jaws, s s, the adj acent'edges of which are slightly recessed, so as to fit the neck c of the pin, which is held thereby.

The ends of the jaws are bent downward, as shown at s, and in their normal position are partially distended to permit the entrance of the point of the link in engaging the coupling.

The operation of improvement is as follows:

Two cars being coupled together, as shown in Fig. I, the coupling is released by raising the pin, which is readily accomplished, till the neck 0' reaches the jaws, which grasp and retain it in that position, and prevent its further withdrawal, as shown in Fig. I. I

When the cars are again brought together, the link enters the draw-head, and, passing through the spring and between the distended ends s of the jaws, presses them apart, which releases the pin.

The pin thus disengaged, will descend by its own gravity and complete the connection.

When the coupling is disconnected, the jaws of the draw-head retainingthe link will keep it in a proper horizontal position for entering the mouth of the opposite draw-head without the aid of a brake'sman, whereby that dangerous service is dispensed. with.

Another great advantage of my improvement lies in the fact of its easy application to the draw-heads in use, at but a trifling expense.

It is evident that the construction of the spring-jaws can be somewhat varied, and they still perform substantially the samefunctions.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

. The elliptic spring E, provided with the recessed jaws s s, when used in connection with the headed pin cand link b, as described, for the purpose set forth.

HENRY SOGGS.

Witnesses:

JONAS SMITH, S. K. SMITH. 

